Popping pills and things

Life as we know it has been so hectic such that I have had an absence from the blogging space, in fact I have also seen better days at the gym. In the last two weeks I have had no gyming activities whatsoever not even a morning run, feels like i have totally fallen off the band wagon completely till now. Well not quite.

 

In the last two weeks we've also seen a season of change where we're slowly moving from winter into spring, its that awkward time where half the people are already dressing in summer gear while the other half are still in boots and scarfs and long trench coats.

 

With the seasons changing, I was quick to realise that I had not met my weight loss goals and still had a long way to go! (Memory flash of Ciara singing, you got a long way to go...laughs out loud to self).

In the process of this realisation I also happened to get a quick glimpse of the herbex hlasela mafutha (attack the fat) advert. As the saying goes desperate times call for desperate measures and in the midst of all this I decided to buy the whole range of fat burn which includes the syrup, the fat burn drops and the pills and of course the most famous slimming tea. (drops head in shame). what can I say I am a sucker for quick fixes at times.

The way the series of products work is that they contain natural herbal ingredients that supposedly help weight loss and increase metabolism. Its all in the head I tell you, mind over matter! so I started on the course, there is a big cautionary statement on all the products, that the product works best with an exercise routine which is standard for anyone trying to lose weight and it doesn't prohibit you from stopping to eat any types of foods, just watching the portions which again is standard for anyone trying to lose weight!

 

Anyhow, I decided to start popping pills and well due to my sometimes forgetful nature I'd forget on some days to take the fat burner pills, to sum it all, I have just found the whole process tedious because you have to take pills after a meal then drink the syrup an hour before any meal and sometimes with a hectic schedule like mine you just don't know when exactly you will be eating your next meal thus making this not quite ideal for me. In my mind I do not doubt that these slimming pills work but I decided to just stick to my normal workout plan and eat healthy and be consistent rather than popping pills and things to speed my slow progress this month for weight-loss. 

 

Turn it Up - Bikram Yoga

Doing the same exercise programme day in and day out equals boring to me. If one is to stay interested in training and trying to focus on losing weight, a person needs some form of versatility in the exercise regimen.

During winter last year we decided to take up a morning 10 day Bikram yoga challenge as a form of team building with my significant other and also to try out something new. to me the concept of Yoga let alone Bikram yoga was a foreign one as its something I thought was just airy fairy and did not quite amount to proper exercise. As they say knowledge is power and I probably know better than to think like this anymore.

I won't go into the origins of Bikram yoga as that on its own warrants several posts, but basically Bikram yoga is yoga characterized by a set series of postures and breathing exercises, performed in a very hot room, 42 degrees Celsius to be more precise. Recently, I decided to sign-up for another 10 day challenge at Bikram Yoga Fourways  http://www.bikramyogafourways.co.za/ this type of yoga is probably the best thing you can do for yourself in the winter cold as the hot air in the studio helps clear your chest and throat. The types of postures and breathing exercises also helps one detox and cleanse the system. I'm not saying it is instant medicine but is helps a great deal with getting the body on track.

I would definitely recommend this as an alternative form of exercise to someone who is tired of the usual exercise programme. It is however not for the feint hearted, however if you put your mind to it, it can be done. I've listed below some tips for first timers aka 'Yogi's' trying out Bikram Yoga for the first time.

1. An average Bikarm Yoga class is 90 minutes long (yes an hour and thirty minutes long) and usually once you start there is no backing out so even if you can't do the postures you are still encouraged to stay in the studio for the entire duration of the class. An early morning class would be ideal for those super busy mothers doubling up as career women as this usually leaves you the rest of the day to do other things i.e work, errands or simply looking after the family.

2. Hydrate! (I think this should be point number one). This is super important, as already mentioned the temperature in the studio can go up to as high as 42 degrees Celsius which means it is super hot and one will sweat heavily almost leaving you dehydrated and dizzy. there are of course short water breaks in the studio. However if you hydrate and drink water regularly throughout the day you will see that you won't have to stop for water breaks as your system is fully hydrated.

3. In terms of equipment, you will need to take a water bottle in with you if you feel you haven't hydrated enough prior to the class. you will also need to take in a big towel as you will sweat through-out the class. Ladies, this again is one of those hectic classes for the hair! Because you sweat so much as a result of the heat your hair will in most instances become wet. It is usually recommended that you tie your hair in a loose bun not too tight and not use head bands as these are tight on your head and can restrict the blood flow to your head thus making you dizzy. Braids would be a good choice for the sisters out there if you intend to do this on a regular basis otherwise you will be left maintaining a fro for a minute! You will also need a yoga mat which is usually provided at the Yoga studio. If like others you suffer from OCD and feel that you need your own mat, yoga mats are easily available from stores like Dischem and Sportsman's warehouse for just under R100.

4. In terms of dressing gear, this is not your typical gym session and therefore you don't have to wear that long tee or long tights unless you really feel strongly about it. It gets super hot in there and therefore a pair of short tights or shorts and a tank top would suffice otherwise you come out of the studio drenched in your own sweat.

5. Finally, don't give up. There comes a point as a first time yogi where you will feel dizzy and decide you don't want to continue with the class (My experience and several others). It gets easier as the class progresses and you will feel a certain level of satisfaction of finishing the class and you will feel energized once the class is done, so keep at it.

Bikram Yoga is not everyone's cup of tea but it will offer you a break from the norm and who knows you might just get used to it!

Can't stop, Won't stop!!

It’s been about a month since the intensity of my training effort has increased and I have had to make slight modifications to my eating plans to incorporate the weight loss but so far so goodJ It’s amazing how I now have so much passion for training for all things fitness and weight loss such that to some it may seem like a borderline obsession with keeping fit when it has become pure enjoyment. I am enjoying this part of life and it is slowly becoming a lifestyle. It does help when you are surrounded with people that share in similar passions, as you get to encourage each other and explore different things together.

I’ve been lucky enough that I have a significant other that loves this whole fitness thing and he’s been quite instrumental in making sure that I keep up with my training regime even at times when I actually don’t feel like it and also makes sure that I eat right (when he’s watching! Laughs out loud to self!).

Such is our deepened love to be fit and healthy that we entered this year’s Discovery/702 Walk the Talk. This is the biggest annual walking event in the Southern Hemisphere with different categories of kilometres that people can walk. It’s a fun walk and everyone gets a medal when it’s all said and done. I have entered this walk in previous years but at a maximum walking distance of 5km. This year we decided that since we’d been doing a fair amount of training that 15km walk wouldn’t hurt nobody!

 

Never under estimate what a walk can do to the body! The walk was quite a challenge, not the walk in the park that I thought it would be, the steep inclines were quite a challenge and at some point I wondered if I would make it through the finish line. My significant other was cruising all the way up while I took longer to catch my breath! After almost 3 hours we made it through the finish line together with the 12 odd thousand people we started the race with. We came, we saw and we conquered!

The walk however left us knackered to a point where it took 2 days to recover and get back into our normal state with slight aches still present. This however was not a deterrent as we had resumed our daily training schedules in no time. I even managed to fit in a quick 2,2km run round the block early evening with my good buddy Ms Stuart. I am proud that our fitness journey has come thus far and we are doing it big. We do it because we enjoy it and hope that maybe somewhere along the lines we will inspire others to do the same if not better. We can’t stop and won’t stop. Always keeping it real! #TeamFitness.

 

 

#BlackGirlProblems!

Any black woman will tell you it’s a bit of a nightmare to do a lot of activity while trying to maintain the good look of your hairstyle particularly if you have relaxed hair or a weave (The steam room and swimming is definitely off the list with these). Hair, believe it or not is actually a deterrent to one many activities particularly gyming. The amount of admin a person would have to go through post a hectic gym session will have you questioning if it really is worth it visiting the gym if you have to blow dry and then flat iron your hair back to salon status condition afterwards. It would probably take one between 15 -20 minutes if you want to walk out of the gym looking decent again, now that’s a lot of time if you want to beat the morning traffic and get to work, any person in a big city will tell you 20 minutes makes a difference!

About a week ago I had rollers on from the previous night and wanted to go out for a jog in the early hours of the morning but the thought of messing up the curls and not being able to have the style I wanted put me off the idea of taking a jog, I was even tempted to just go out and jog in them rollers! I thought how ratchet that would be and eventually came back to my senses and decided to give the jog a miss till my hair was in a different state, you can imagine the sight of a woman taking a morning jog in rollers! I would definitely have a laugh about this if I was seeing this moving hair salon in front of my face so early in the morning but at times desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

Last night I decided that instead of the hectic gym workout I wanted something easier for myself and decided to go for a swim in the gym after work! The drama! While I enjoyed the swim and managed to do 28 laps, I came out with a frizzled nappy *^ss weave despite the fact that I had on a swimming cap. Cheap weave? Who knows but the amount of time I spent getting it back in shape convinced me I needed to change my hair yet again before I could go for my next swim.

So how does a black girl deal with the dilemma of trying to look good but also squeeze in the hard work out which results in breaking a sweat and thus affecting the hair??

1. If you are swimming and have relaxed hair or a weave, always make sure you have the right fitting swimming cap, one that fits just right not one too big as it lets water in and not one too tight as it restricts blood flow to your head.

 

2. Always try to blow dry your hair immediately after a workout in the gym/home and moisturise accordingly as that allows you to kind of get it back in shape before it dries up and develops a life of its own and it’s harder to style. Of course this means carrying around a brush and comb bag inside your gym bag just so you have all the stuff from home, it’s a bit taxing but necessary. Ladies don’t be leaving the gym looking like Worzel Gummidge unless if you really don’t care about what the world has to say then its ok……

3. Perhaps try and change your hairstyle to a more gym friendly one for example getting corn rows, cutting your hair short and getting braids. Braids do of course present an easy styling option post a work out but they need to be washed to ensure they don’t carry around the stench of sweat after your work out.

4. In terms of accessories, if you are sporting a long weave or you have long hair, always carry a hair scrunchie to tie your hair up and avoid it flying in all directions when you train, in addition always use a headband to hold the sweat off the edges of your hair line.

Hope these hair tips help those like me who struggle with this issue on a regular basis! Always keep it real like Mama J J

If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up.

The story of my life. Starting things and at times not finishing things. I came across this on Pinterest while 30,000 feet above. At this point I had had a long day filled with meetings in Cape Town. Woke up super early at 4am to make my super early flight.

The day was filled with so many meetings and catch up sessions such that I hardly had time to eat decently since morning. It was so easy to fall off the bandwagon and in the process I helped myself to a Snickers chocolate bar and Kit Kat plus some chips! #Yummymummydrama! Only thing I managed to do right was to have two bottles of water!

At this point I had almost given up on my healthy eating plan and had decided I'd just have more chocolate and start over tomorrow and then of course the poster with the message happened. I have come to realize that so many times as humans we give up easily when faced with a challenge (equating not eating chocolate to a challenge yes). Challenges will happen all the time but we need to continue pressing on. Funny how the guilt of eating chocolate can bring about such deep thoughts.

With this in mind I decided that I'd have a healthy dinner once I had arrived home which I eventually did! Instead of starting over eating proper The next day I decided that I would end the day having consumed something of nutritional benefit. I decided that I'd plan better when traveling next time around to ensure I stay on the healthier type of meals and snacks.

I have a few tips for those that are always on the move and have hectic schedules, I hope that these will help all those watching what they eat particularly the Yummy mummies out there that are trying to lose weight.

1. Always carry healthy snacks to snack on in between meetings. These can range from peanuts to fruits such as apples or small yoghurt. These fit easily in most handbags;)

2. Try always carry a bottle of 500ml of water and stayed hydrated versus going for the sugar filled juices and carbonated drinks, it's ok to indulge once in a while but of course this won't help your weight loss.

3. If you are traveling away from home overnight it's so easy to end up off your eating plan or exercise regime. My suggestion is always find out if the hotel you are traveling to has a gym available so that you can exercise away from home or if the area you are staying is safe to go for a run. Try and also ensure you opt for the healthier options on the food menu's most places have the healthy option so pick those and don't use the trip away as an excuse for stuffing yourself silly with the wrong type of foods.

4. If you are traveling for an extended time try and find what the local versions of the type of foods (food market with fresh foods) you normally eat are and try those and stick to those. It's hectic I know but that would help you avoid gaining the bulk.

Most importantly never give up what you have started i.e. eating healthy and keep pressing on coz you will get there whether its sooner or later.

Of Saturday Mornings and Personal Trainers

Nothing absolutely nothing could have prepared me for my morning gym session with my personal trainer Gerald.

The last two sessions had been focused purely on cardio training and so naturally I thought this would be the same workout but boy was my mind and body in for the shock of its life.

The gym session which we dubbed the point of reference session was designed to test my body to see to what extremes it would go needless to say it did not go far and my body was left in shock most likely the way a death row inmate's body would feel after an electrocution. Maybe not the best example to give but that's how I felt after only 30 mins of this session.

While it was not a challenging workout on paper my mind was simply not prepared. My mind was stuck in the old routine so the workout was such a challenge with my mind fighting with my body it was kind of a negotiation with my mind saying I ain't got time for this while my body to some extent was willing to try.

The work out included doing a 3 minute warm up run on the treadmill naturally I ran at high speed as I assumed that's all the running I d do for the day, turns out Gerald had something else in mind

Next stop I had to run for a kilometer at 8,5 speed on the treadmill and measure my pulse afterwards. That done I assumed that was over. I managed to clock a kilometer in just under 7 minutes. Next was more running. The kilometer non stop at high speed seemed like the longest kilometer I had run and was glad that was over. Only to be told I now had to run for 12minutes straight at high speed which was between 8,5-8 speed. If there was anyday I wished I hadn't pitched at the gym it was today. I had given up mentally but my body was willing to try. I had Gerald standing next to the treadmill the whole time while in my mind I was trying to get myself to do it. Luckily enough I had my music with me so my playlist kept me going. I got to 7 minutes and slowed down for a minute then picked up again in the ninth minute all the way to twelve.

I was so relieved as we got to 12 minutes which was 1,5km. The bones between my knees and ankles felt like they were going to break at this point. I was in pain!

I was ready to leave at this point but there was more in store next up we went onto the mat, my worst nightmare. I had to do as many push-ups in a minute and proper push ups at that. Now these are not exactly my favorite but I was prepared to try. Started on the mat and my hands felt like jelly! I had to bend my arms to 90 degrees doing it the proper way and bring my chest all the way to the ground. I struggled, felt like I was carrying the whole world on my back! Managed 10 in the minute.

Next up was sit-ups, these were manageable but still a struggle. I managed only 20. At this point I was literally gritting my teeth! The trainer recorded all the key details pulse and all the technical stuff and even gave me some words of encouragement and showed me some articles off his iPad. His wise words. It's all in the mind, you need to be mentally prepared for any workout and you need to be able to push your body and do a new workout all the time as the body does tend to get used to the same thing all this.

With this in mind I've braced myself for the next 6 weeks as we commence with our full on training program ! Lord help me!!

To cool off I did a 35minute cycle on the bike. That was it for Saturday morning. I was done.

Runner's thoughts

 

The height of inspiration for me on any morning is seeing the neighbourhood morning Joggers doing their daily runs. For me it’s inspirational because it takes a great deal of strength and courage to leave your bed and get up and start moving, particularly in winter. For me, the decision to go on a run starts the previous night when I decide it needs to be done and I take out all the gear.  Waking up the next morning usually proves challenging but where there is a will there is a way. It’s normally easier getting up in summer vs. winter as it’s usually lighter than the dark winter mornings.

Once you get over the mental block and you hit the road, you get one of the most liberating feelings; it’s almost like a controlled free fall from the sky that gives you an adrenaline rush. It happens to me all the time and I wonder why I don’t do it on a regular basis.

The best part of each run is coming across other runners. They come in all shapes and sizes and are each going through their motions of finishing what they started. There’s the dedicated team that you will almost always see at a specific time, I’m certain those guys train for the professional races and are always ‘running on the clock’ with never a minute to waste and no time for chit-chat on the streets, they always have their serious faces on. Then there’s the regular Joe’s and Jane’s that are just trying to get fit, now these guys do make the effort and run and stop and walk as and when they deem fit but still all the same always finish their run. I probably fit in this group. We usually give each other a quick nod and smile as we cross paths along the road; this is usually a form of encouragement and gives one the strength to continue soldiering on with your run as you know you are not alone.

Then there’s that almost kind of creepy runner who just creeps up on you silently, always in a hoodie(male and female), they run past silently as fast as they came and do not utter a word or any gesture to acknowledge that they have seen you, they are like ghosts (*insert scary sound here*). While maybe their intention is not to creep up on anyone it always seems like that’s what they are up to. I have experienced it a couple of times and it spooks me out totally. I always try to alert other unsuspecting runners that I’m passing by so that they are aware someone is in the road and that I’m not trying to be mugging anyone. Such is the level of paranoia in a country where muggings are rife so one always has to stay safe even if you live in decent and safe neighbourhood like ours.

While it is fun to go out on runs, one always has to take safety precautions particularly when you run solo in the early hours of the morning;

1. It’s important that you run with a reflector jacket so that you are visible to on coming runners and cars particularly in winter where it’s always dark in the morning.

2. Always let someone know where you are or let them know the route that you are taking and tell them how long you’re most likely to take so that they can always ring the alarm if you are not back in a certain time.

3. Always select a well-lit route which is visible and is not covered in trees and thick bushes, running in such areas may make the runner vulnerable to attacks.

4. Never take any valuables that make you easy prey to robbers

5. If you become a regular solo runner, change your route on a daily basis so that it is not predictable and you avoid being the target of any muggers or robbers.

 

6. Download a running app such as the Nike running app or the Endomondo sports tracker app which tracks your every move in real-time and will upload your exact location to those at home or selected parties should anything happen to you while you are on your run. Of course the challenge is running around with your mobile device but there’s always an inside pocket somewhere where this can be tucked in without being seen and thus making the runner an easy target; and

7. Most importantly, always be alert and aware of your surroundings, you can never be too safe.

Running is a great way to lose weight and it is a lifestyle change that is enjoyable and can be maintained and doesn’t require too much hectic input other than physical exertion of oneself to keep moving. Running works for me so I’d definitely encourage other people to try it outJ ….that and a good playlist on your mp3 player or ipod will always keep you movingJ